Newborns breathe about 44 times per minute, which gradually slows down with age. Normal adults breathe 12 to 20 times per minute. Respiratory frequency varies with age, sex and physiological state. The respiratory rate of women of the same age is 1-2 times that of men. Respiratory frequency is helpful to diagnose pneumonia, pleurisy, asthma, hyperthyroidism and nervous system diseases. The breathing frequency of normal adults is between 16-20 beats/min. If it is lower than 16 beats/min, it is called slow breathing, which is more common in diabetic ketoacidosis and uremic acidosis.
Excessive breathing can be seen in physiological and pathological types, such as shortness of breath after strenuous running. Pathological types include shortness of breath caused by hyperthyroidism, increased metabolism, and even fever, severe pneumonia, dyspnea and respiratory failure. According to the normal frequency of breathing, it can be preliminarily judged whether the vital signs of patients tend to be stable, especially for patients with respiratory failure and brain stem injury, and the prognosis can be judged from the speed, rhythm and depth of breathing.
In a word, respiratory rate, as the most basic component of vital signs, needs careful observation and further prognosis according to clinical manifestations and auxiliary examinations. Breathing frequency and the normal breathing frequency of adults of the same age are 16 to 20 times. The increase or decrease of respiratory frequency is abnormal. The increase of respiratory frequency is characterized by dyspnea, which is related to infection, respiratory function and cardiac insufficiency. In addition, slow breathing is also related to patients taking sedatives and poisoning.